This workshop is an introduction to pensions for those with little or no previous pensions knowledge, working either in a pensions role or an allied business area where pensions knowledge would be advantageous. Our expert panel will talk through the essentials of the pensions industry.

For over forty years, the Pensions Management Institute has provided its members and wider society with information and insight, regarding pensions and employee benefits through its regular events, seminars and our member magazine.

Lots of savers around the world don't engage with pension communications, particularly those that have been automatically enrolled. The approach's use of inertia means that these savers tend to have lower levels of awareness and engagement compared to those who made an active decision to start saving in a scheme.

Researchers have become focused on the challenge of how to engage pension savers, and in recent years a lot of progress has been made. One idea is to time pension communications more effectively so the message reaches the saver during important life events when they're believed to be more receptive.

NEST Insight, along with Maastricht University and Netspar, recently conducted a series of in-depth interviews, and a survey with NEST members, to find out more.

AGI in Germany offers pension solution

GERMANY - Allianz Global Investors (AGI) Kapitalanlagegesellschaft has launched a 'one-stop shop' for company pension provision, providing investment, administration and a general trustee solution from a single source.

Claiming to be the first asset manager to offer an integrated solution for company pension provision in the form of a fund-based Direktzusage (direct commitment), AGI Kapitalanlagegesellschaft said the model allowed employers to meet the statutory right of all employees to salary conversion and also offered employees an attractive retirement provision model with tax benefits. It includes the trustee solution offered by Allianz Treuhand GmbH - enabling beneficiaries to be protected by additional insolvency cover, including benefits not offered by the mutual pension-assurance-association Pensionssicherungsverein (PSV).

The new provision plus account package - "VorsorgePlusKonto" - is targeted at companies who want to give their employees the opportunity to participate more intensively in the opportunities for returns offered by the capital markets.

Tobias Pross, head of pension markets at Allianz Global Investors, said: "Innovative and flexible pension provision packages are becoming an important decision-making criterion when key personnel make a decision on selecting an employer. As far as the company is concerned, a company pension scheme is an important compensation element for generating long-term loyalty with this category of employees."

Latest stories

Collective defined contribution (CDC) schemes will need clear and transparent governance frameworks, as well as effective communication strategies, to be a success, the Work and Pensions Committee (WPC) has been told.